Mail-bag.



B. FOREHAND.

MAIL BAG. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1, 1909.

Patented Aug. 24. 1909.

I; BE.

gwvwmto z; B/ake fZ/"e Z6011 UNITED STATES PATEN T GFFTCE.

BLAKE FOREHAND, OF MULLEN, TEXAS.

MAIL-BAG.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that l, BLAKE FOREHAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mullen, in the county of Mills and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Mail-Bags; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in mail bags.

The object of the invention is to provide a mail bag constructed to be opened from top to bottom thus facilitating the removal of the mail from the bag and obviating the possibility of any mail remaining therein.

A further object is to provide means whereby the bag may be quickly opened out and again brought to a closed position and the-side edges thereof securely held together.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1. is a perspective view of the bag supported in position for opening; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the bag opened out its entire length for the discharge of the mail therefrom; and Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 1 denotes the mail bag which may be formed of any suitable material and is preferably constructed from a single strip adapted to be folded upon itself to form the sides of the bag. Along each edge of the bag are secured fastening devices 2 which when the strip of material is folded to form the sides of the bag are adapted to be brought into engagement to fasten the edges of the sides together and thus form the bag.

Any suitable detachable or separable fastening device may be employed for securing the edges of the bag together, said fastening device being here shown in the form of a series of socket or link members 3 which are arranged along the edges of one of the side portions of the bag and a series of hook members at arranged along the edges of the opposite side portions, said hook and socket members being so arranged that when brought together by a suitable operating device will Specification of Letters Patent;

Application filed March 1, 1909.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

Serial No; 480,669.

be automatically engaged to fasten said edges together thus forming the bag. The operating device by means of which the fastening members are brought together and,

engaged consists of a clip 5 having in its opposite edges curved channels (3 which engage the fastening members on the opposite edges of the sides of the bag whereby when said clip is drawn upwardly or toward the month end of the bag the edges will be brought together and the hook members of the fastenings engaged with the socket members thereby securely fastening the edges together. In order to separate the fastening devices and thus permit the sides of the bag to be pulled apart and the bag opened throughout its length, it is simply necessary to hold or secure the upper end of one of the sides of the bag and to grasp the upper end of the other side and to pull said sides apart. This operation will force the clip 5 downwardly along the fastening devices and at the same time disengaging the fastening de vices along the edges of one side of the bag from those along the edges of the opposite side thus permitting the bag to be quickly opened throughout its entire length and all of the mail discharged therefrom.

The upper end of one side of the bag is preferably extended beyond the end of the opposite side and is adapted to be folded over the end of the shorter side thus closing the open end of the bag. The folded over end of the bag is secured to the opposite end by the usual or any suitable fastening device 7. When the open ends of the bag have .thus been fastened together it will be impossible to separate the edges of said sides. In the upper end of the short sides of the bag I preferably form eyelets 8 whereby when the bag has been unlocked and the upper end opened said eyelets may be engaged with suitable hooks or supporting devices and thereby held while the opposite side is pulled away and the edges separated in the manner herein before described. To the lower end of the bag may be secured the usual loops 9 to facilitate the carrying or dragging of the bag.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claimq Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is :fi A mail bag comprising a single sheet of material adapted to be folded along its appl'OXimate transverse middle, fastening devices along the side edges extending in opposite directions from the middle, clips slidably mounted on said fastening devices and adapted to engage or disengage the same, an extension flap on one side, and means to en gage the flap to hold the same in position to close the mouth of the bag, said flap when locked preventing the operation of the clips to disengage the fastening devices.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

BLAKE FOREHAND. Witnesses 1.

Gnonen G, CALLENBACK, AARON LITTLE. 

